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House Rules
Player Character Creation Ability Scores * New PC's get five sets of scores to choose from. These scores are "in order", however, each character, in addition to the six abilities, gets a "wealth" score. Once you've selected one of the five sets, you may do one transposition of any two of the seven scores. Unlike standard ACKS character creation, there is no "2-for-1" swapping (the transposition replaces this). Once this is complete, choose any class that your scores qualify for. Your "wealth" score determines your starting "template", but you may choose any template up to the one your wealth score indicates. If your wealth score is "18" you may select any template AND replace either the starting general or class proficiency with one of your choice. * Example: ''Player X gets his five sets of scores, and settles on one that looks like this - Str 7 Int 13 Wis 16 Dex 13 Con 10 Cha 12 Wealth 17. Player X is looking to play a fighter, so he switches Str for wealth, resulting in a Str 17 and wealth 7. Taking a look at the fighter class templates (Player's Companion page 67), he sees that the wealth stat of 7 qualifies him for Corsair, Ravager, and Thug templates. Player X, envisioning a tough berserker-type fighter, picks the Ravager template, which gives him the following starting proficiencies: Berserkergang and Endurance. Since his Intelligence score is 13, he gets to choose an additional General proficiency, and in keeping with the character concept, chooses Survival. Player X writes down the starting equipment listed for the Ravager template. He is now ready to play. * ''Characters beyond first level: ''If your character is starting at a level higher than first, any additional proficiencies accrued will be of your choice. '''Ability Scores (Tunnel Snakes variant)' * New PC's roll 3d6 7 times for their starting ability scores. These scores are "in order", however, each character, in addition to the six abilities, gets a "wealth" score. Once you've determined your scores, you may do one transposition of any two of the seven scores. You may in addition to this do a "2-for-1" swap; however, the point added is only counted for the purposes of meeting class prerequisites and earning bonus experience. * Your wealth score determines your starting template and equipment, and a template of a lower score cannot be chosen. Rolling Hit Points * When a character gains or loses a level, or increases or decreases their Con modifier in a permanent or lasting way, they reroll their maximum hit point total. All of a character's hit dice are rolled at this time; i.e., a 5 hit dice fighter would roll 5d8. The character's Con modifier is then applied as a bonus or penalty to each die, but cannot bring an individual die result below a 1; for example, a level 3 fighter with a Con modifier of -2 who rolled a 1, 2, 4 for their hit point roll would have a total of 4 hit points. Gaining a level or increasing a Con modifier will always add at least 1 hit point (if the rolled result is lower, increase total hit points by 1), and losing a level or decreasing a Con modifier will always lose at least 1 hit point (if the rolled result is higher, decrease total hit points by 1). * Characters beyond first level: ''If your character is starting at a level higher than first, roll hit points level-by-level, starting at level 1. '''Wisdom Modifier to Saves' * A character's Wis modifier is applied as a bonus or penalty to all saving throws, as per page 14 of ACKS Heroic Fantasy Handbook. Proficiencies * Elves, Gnomes, and Zaharans have "Hedge Wizardry" (i.e. arcane cantrips) on their general proficiency list. * Nobirans have "Village Wisdom" (i.e. divine cantrips) on their general proficiency list. * Proficiencies may be switched with Judge approval on a case-by-case basis, through retraining later in the character's career, subject to the constraints of time, cost, and campaign considerations. The typical time for retraining a proficiency is 2 months with no additional costs incurred other than the character's monthly upkeep. UNLESS THE JUDGE SPECIFICALLY ALLOWS YOU TO DO SO, YOU MAY NOT RETRAIN THE INITIAL TWO PROFICIENCIES SPECIFIED BY YOUR TEMPLATE. * Weapon Finesse allows a character's DEX bonus to be used for any melee weapon attack throws, rather than being only usable with one-handed weapons. * Only one rank of Precise Shooting is required to eliminate penalties of firing into melee or through squares with other creatures in them. Social Ability Bonuses * Class abilities, proficiencies, spells, and so forth which grant a +2 bonus to social ability throws (i.e. reaction, diplomacy, etc) instead grant a +1 bonus, unless specifically noted otherwise by the Judge. Combat Critical Hits * An unmodified 20 on an attack roll is a critical hit. A second roll is then made, referencing the Dungeon Crawl Classics critical hit tables for the appropriate class or hit die to determine the result. Attacking from the Second Rank * Attacking from the second rank with a reach weapon imposes a -2 attack penalty. Weapon Breakage (Tunnel Snakes only) * An unmodified 1 on an attack roll causes the weapon to break and be unusable. If the weapon is masterwork, it is instead damaged. While damaged, it loses its masterwork bonus and is treated as a normal weapon, which can be repaired by a weaponsmith for half the cost of purchasing a new one. A damaged masterwork weapon will be destroyed and unrepairable if a second unmodified 1 is rolled when using it to attack. * Natural weapons do not break, but receive a -1 to hit for the duration of the combat if an unmodified 1 is rolled on an attack roll. Fumbles (Swords in the Underworld and Firestarters only) * An unmodified 1 on an attack roll causes a fumble roll based on the Dungeon Crawl Classics fumble tables. Mortal Wounds (Swords in the Underworld and Firestarters only) * A save vs Death is required if the result on the Mortal Wounds Table is below a certain number; failure results in character death. This save is at a penalty should the Mortal Wounds throw be low enough. Firing into Melee (Swords in the Underworld and Firestarters only) * Firing into melee or through squares with other creatures in them is allowed for characters without the Precise Shooting proficiency at a -6 penalty. If the attack roll fails, it may strike a target other than what was intended.